A Pilgrim Journey With Others: At the Service of God’s Dream

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A Pilgrim Journey With Others: At the Service of God’s Dream

A pilgrim journey that serves God’s dream only makes sense and brings joy when we’re not doing it alone. The synodal Church is calling us to walk this path together, not as solo travelers. The beauty of our mission isn’t just about keeping the charism alive; it’s about rediscovering it constantly and seeing how the Holy Spirit works as we go. Our call is to invite others to join us with open hearts, share the faith and charism we’ve been given, and live God’s mission with fresh energy and creativity. This kind of witness has a way of speaking volumes to the world. Pope Francis, in his address on the 50th anniversary of the Synod of Bishops on October 17, 2015, stated:

“We must continue along this path. The world in which we live, and which we are called to love and serve, even with its contradictions, demands that the Church strengthen cooperation in all areas of her mission. It is precisely this path of synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium.”

Opening Ourselves to the Spirit and Discernment

If we want to be a Church that spreads the faith, we’ve got to stay open to the Spirit and take discernment seriously, not just individually but as a community. No more excuses. How we listen and act defines our part in this synodal Church. If we tune out the Spirit or ignore what the Church needs now, we’re going to miss the vision God’s laying out for us.

Today’s Church is more diverse than ever, and the need to walk together has never been clearer. We can’t afford to dig in our heels or act like nothing’s changing around us. The world and the Church are both moving fast, and that means we need to find new ways to connect, share, and live out the mission. Closing ourselves off from reflection or dialogue isn’t an option. It just leaves us stuck, spiritually lukewarm, and disconnected from what God’s calling us to do.

Outward-Looking Missionaries

Here’s the bottom line: we’re called to be missionaries who look outward. The Spirit is alive and moving, and you can see it in all the different groups and movements that form the Church today. If we want to be part of that, we need to step up, show some generosity, and dive into God’s mission with both hands. Walking this path with others isn’t just more meaningful—it’s actually more joyful.

A real pilgrim journey means taking on challenges together, packing light, and being ready to move forward. And through it all, Christ has to stay at the center. Our founder understood this. His heart stayed rooted in Christ, his mind stayed locked on the mission, his feet went wherever God needed him, and his hands were always ready to serve.

Now it’s our turn. Let’s not miss it.

By Eugene Benedict, OMI

Published on the OMI World website